Package inverter

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for inverting articles during passage thereof along a substantially straight line path of travel including a single endless drive belt twisted through 180* and trained about vertically disposed rollers arranged on opposite sides of the path of travel adjacent inlet and outlet ends of the mechanism, and guide devices arranged to maintain articles in surface engagement with a driving flight of the belt for passage between the ends of the mechanism.

United States Patent 11 1 Rosso Oct. 23, 1973 PACKAGE INVERTER 1,718,8126/1929 Doney l98/l87 2,929,489 3/l960 Parrish 198/33 AC [751 inventor:Del Ithaca 564,163 7/1896 Schaake 198 33 AC {73] Assignee: Hi-SpeedCheckwelgher Co.,lnc.,

Ithaca, NY. Primary ExaminerRichard E. Aegerter [22] Filed: Nov 5, 1970Attorney-Bean and Bean l. 7 16 [21] App 8 3 57 ABSTRACT A mechanism forinverting articles during passage 'iig' f g g igi'i thereof along asubstantially straight line path of travel Field 0 semlch 198/333 AC 33R including a single endless drive belt twisted through 198 6 180 andtrained about vertically disposed rollers arranged on opposite sides ofthe path of travel adjacent Reerences Cited inlet and outlet ends of themechanism, and guide devices arranged to maintain articles in surfaceengage- UNITED STATES PATENTS ment with a driving flight of the belt forpassage be- :Bgggg PNinkham 1981/55/33 tw n the nds of the mechanism,

,7 l egra 2,604,200 7/1952 Hohl 198/33 AC 4 Claims, 5 Drawing'FiguresPATENIEDucI 23 ms SHEET 10F 2 INVENTOR. V/cfoe Del Rosso @312 $4,220. ATTORNFYS PATENTEB 081 23 ms SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR 100%! Del Basso @MMATTORNEYS PACKAGE INVERTER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention generally relates to mechanisms for inverting articles,including containers, packages or the like, and more particularly to amechanism for automatically inverting six packs as the latter are passedthrough the mechanism along a straight line path of travel betweenarticle handling stations.

The mechanism of the present invention features a single endless drivebelt, which is twisted through 180 in passing between verticallydisposed drive and idler rollers arranged on opposite sides of the pathof travel adjacent the inlet and outlet ends of the mechanism.

In the preferred form of the present invention, stationary guide devicesare employed to maintain articles passing through the mechanism insurface driven engagement with a driving flight of the drive belt.Articles are presented for and removed from engagement with the drivingflight of the belt by an auxiliary endless belt conveyor, which defineshorizontally moving flights adjacent the inlet and outlet ends of themechanism.

DRAWINGS The nature and mode of operation of the present invention willnow be more fully described in the following detailed description takenwith the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inverting mechanism according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;and

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating the relative positions of an articleadjacent the inlet and outlet ends of the mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The inverting mechanism of the present invention,which is generally designated as in FIGS. l-3, will now be describedwith particular reference to its use in inverting articles 12 ofgenerally hexahedral configuration as the latter are passed along asubstantially straight line path between mechanism infeed and withdrawalconveyors 14 and 16, which extend from diverse article handlingstations, not shown. For purposes of description only, articles 12 areshown as being in the form of six packs of canned beverages, wherein thecans are bound together only adjacent their upper ends by conventionalplastic bonding or holder 18. Alternatively, the individual cans may bebound together by a heavy paper wrapper or enclosed within a suitablepackaging container. Moreover, as will be apparent, mechanism 10 may bemodified to accommodate articles of other than the hexahedralconfiguration illustrated.

Again referring to FIGS. l-3, it will be seen that mechanism 10generally includes a framework on which are mounted an articletransporting and inverting conveyor 22; stationary guide devices, whichare generally designated as 24; an auxiliary conveyor 26 having conveyorflights 28 and 30, which are arranged adjacent inlet and outlet ends 32and 34 of mechanism 1, respectively, for directing articles 12 into andremoving such articles from association with conveyor 22; and anelectric motor 36 for powering conveyors 22 and 26.

Framework 20 includes a pair of horizontally spaced side plates 38 and40, which are fixed in a parallel relationship by cross membersincluding spacer rods, only one being shown at 42 in FIG. 1; inlet andoutlet end plates 44 and 46, which are arranged to support auxiliaryconveyor flights 28 and 30, respectively; and suitable mounting bracketsor support plates, not shown, to which mechanism supporting pedestals 48are affixed.

Conveyor 22 includes an endless drive belt 50, which is trained aboutidler and drive rollers 52 and 54, so as to define drive and returnflights 56 and 58 movable in the directions indicated by arrows 56 and58, respectively. Rollers are supported for rotation about substantiallyparallel vertically disposed axes by brackets 60 and 62, respectively.As best shown in FIG. 2, brackets 60 and 62 are affixed to side plates38 and 40 adjacent mechanism inlet and outlet ends 32 and 34, such thatrollers 52 and 54 are arranged on opposite sides of the path of travelof article 12 through mechanism 1. As

will be apparent, belt drive flight 56, as well as return flight 58, istwisted through between rollers 52 and 54 and disposed to extendhorizontally across the path of article travel. Preferably the drivesurface of belt 50 is roughened as by providing projections or fingersto provide a gripping surface or arranged to define spaced ribsextending transversely of the direction of belt travel.

A bearing rod or roller 66 is supported by side plate mounted brackets68 and 70, so as to extend horizontally in a direction transversely ofmechanism 1 at a point intermediate rollers 52 and 54. As will beapparent from viewing FIGS. 3 and 4, guide roller 66 serves to maintainthe drive flight 56 in a horizontally disposed position at its midpoint, as well as to separate the belt flights and in order to preventabrasion therebetween.

Guide devices 24 include a main guide bar '72, and a pair of supportguide devices 74 and 76, which cooperate with main guide bar 72 tomaintain articles 12 in frictional engagement with the drive surface ofconveyor flight 56.

Main guide bar 72 is formed with an article engaging guide surface 72,which is twisted through substantially 180, such that guide surface 72is arranged in a facing, spaced relationship with the drive surface ofconveyor flight 56 substantially throughout the length thereof. Thus,belt flight 56 and guide surface 72' are arranged to engage oppositeside surfaces 12a and 12b of article 12, as the latter is inverted whilebeing transported by the drive belt between the positions illustrated inFIG. 5. Main guide bar 72 is adjustably supported adjacent itsrespective ends, which extend beyond belt flight 56, by side platemounted brackets 78 and 80, and supported adjacent its mid portion byside mounted brackets 82 and 84. As will be apparent, bar 72 may be ofplural or single piece construction, as .desired.

It will be understood that for low speed operating conditions, theportion of guide bar 72 extending between brackets 82 and 84 may beomitted, since at this point the weight of article 12 is normallysufficient to maintain the article in engagement with the drive flightas the latter changes directions in passing over roller 66. This portionof the guide bar is, however, necessary when the drive flight is drivenat high speeds to prevent the article from being thrown upwardlytherefrom.

Guide devices 74 and 76 include guide bars 74a, 74b and 76a, 76b, whichbars define guide surfaces 74a, 74b and 76a, 76b, respectively. As willbe apparent, guide surfaces 74a, 74b and 76a, 76b, which are twistedthrough substantially 90 and extend from adjacent opposite end portionsof drive flight 56 to points adjacent the mid point thereof, areoperable to successively support opposite vertically facing surfaces 120and l2d of articles 12, respectively. It will be understood upon viewingFIG. 1 that guide bars 74a, 74b are supported adjacent their respectiveends by cross bar 86 and bracket 82, whereas bars 76a, 76b are supportedadjacent their respective ends by bracket 84 and cross bar 88.

Additional guide bars 90 and 92, which are adjustably supported byframework mounted brackets 94 and 96, are arranged to cooperate with therespective ends of guide bar 72 to properly align articles 12 as thelatter are transported by conveyor flights 28 and 30 into and out ofassociation with drive flight 56.

Auxiliary conveyor 26 is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as being in theform of an endless belt 100, which is trained over a plurality of idlerrollers 102 and a drive roller 104. Belts 50 and 100 may be driven inthe directions indicated by coupling drive rollers 54 and 104 toelectric motor 36 by any suitable transmission, such as for instancegear box 106 and chain drives 108.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that whenever article 12 ispresented adjacent the inlet end of mechanism 1 by conveyor 14, sucharticle is picked up by conveyor flight 28 and transferred thereby toposition its side surface 12a in association with the drive surface ofdrive flight 56 adjacent the inlet end thereof. The drive flightthereupon frictionally picks up and transports the article in slidingengagement with guide surface 72 and successively with guide surfaces74a,

74b and 76a, 76b until the article is transferred to conveyor flight 30,which in turn delivers the article to withdrawal conveyor 16.

I claim:

l. A mechanism for inverting articles during passage along asubstantially straight line path of travel extending through inlet andoutlet ends of said mechanism, which comprises in combination:

a conveyor having an endless belt trained about roller devices to definea drive flight and a return flight, said roller devices being supportedfor rotation about substantially parallel vertically disposed axesarranged one adjacent each of said inlet and outlet ends and on oppositesides of said path of travel, whereby to position inlet and outlet endportions of said drive flight adjacent said inlet and outlet ends and onopposite sides of said path of travel, said drive flight having anarticle engaging drive surface portion thereof twisted throughsubstantially l80 between said inlet and outlet end portions thereof,said return flight being twisted through substantially 180 whereby toarrange said drive and return flights in an essentially uniform spacedrelationship, and said conveyor additionally includes a guide roller,said guide roller being substantially horizontal and extendingtransversely of said path of travel for engagement with facing surfacesof said drive and return flights adjacent midpoints thereof, whereby tomaintain said facing surfaces out of engagement and at least said drivesurface portion essentially horizontal adjacent midpoints thereof;

conveyor drive means connected to at least one of said roller devices;and

stationary guide means to maintain articles in driven engagement withsaid drive surface portion intermediate said roller devices.

2. A mechanism for inverting articles during passage along asubstantially straight line path of travel extending through inlet andoutlet ends of said mechanism, which comprises in combination:

a conveyor having a drive flight, said drive flight having an inlet endportion arranged adjacent said inlet end on one side of said path oftravel and an outlet end portion arranged adjacent said outlet end on anopposite side of said path of travel, said drive flight having anarticle engaging drive surface portion thereof twisted throughsubstantially 180 between said end portions thereof;

means to drive said conveyor;

stationary guide means to maintain articles in driven engagement withsaid drive surface portion of said drive flight intermediate said inletand outlet end portions thereof; and

a single auxiliary endless conveyor belt, said auxiliary conveyor beltforming conveyor flights aligned with said path of travel for directingarticles into and removing articles from association with said drivesurface portion of said drive flight adjacent said inlet and outlet endportions.

3. A mechanism for inverting articles during passage thereof along asubstantially straight line path of travel extending through inlet andoutlet ends of said mechanism, which comprises in combination:

a framework;

an endless belt conveyor, said belt being trained about roller devicesarranged one adjacent each of said ends to define drive and returnflights of said belt, at least said drive flight of said belt beingtwisted through substantially 180 in passing between said rollerdevices, said roller devices being mounted on said framework forrotation about substantially parallel vertically extending axes disposedadjacent opposite sides of said path of travel;

stationary guide means mounted on said framework for maintaining anarticle in driven surface engagement with said drive flight of saidbelt, whereby said article is inverted while being conveyed between saidends;

auxiliary conveyor means mounted on said framework, said auxiliaryconveyor means defining conveyor flights aligned with said path oftravel for directing articles into and removing articles from association with said drive flight; and

means mounted on said framework for driving said conveyors.

4. A mechanism according to claim 3, wherein said auxiliary conveyor isan endless belt conveyor; and said guide means includes a stationaryguide surface means and a'pair of stationary guide surface means, thefirst said guide surface means being arranged to extend in a spacedfacing relationship with said drive flight substantially throughout thelength thereof, said first said guide surface means and said driveflight engaging .oppositely facing surfaces of said article, said pairof stationary guide surface means being arranged to extend from adjacentopposite ends of said drive flight towards a midpoint thereof forsuccessively engaging opposite vertically facing surfaces'of saidarticle, each of said pair of stationary guide surfaces being twistedthrough substantially

1. A mechanism for inverting articles during passage along asubstantially straight line path of travel extending through inlet andoutlet ends of said mechanism, which comprises in combination: aconveyor having an endless belt trained about roller devices to define adrive flight and a return flight, said roller devices being supportedfor rotation about substantially parallel vertically disposed axesarranged one adjacent each of said inlet and outlet ends and on oppositesides of said path of travel, whereby to position inlet and outlet endportions of said drive flight adjacent said inlet and outlet ends and onopposite sides of said path of travel, said drive flight having anarticle engaging drive surface portion thereof twisted throughsubstantially 180* between said inlet and outlet end portions thereof,said return flight being twisted through substantially 180* whereby toarrange said drive and return flights in an essentially uniform spacedrelationship, and said conveyor additionally includes a guide roller,said guide roller being substantially horizontal and extendingtransversely of said path of travel for engagement with facing surfacesof said drive and return flights adjacent midpoints thereof, whereby tomaintain said facing surfaces out of engagement and at least said drivesurface portion essentially horizontal adjacent midpoints thereof;conveyor drive means connected to at least one of said roller devices;and stationary guide means to maintain articles in driven engagementwith said drive surface portion intermediate said roller devices.
 2. Amechanism for inverting articles during passage along a substantiallystraight line path of travel extending through inlet and outlet ends ofsaid mechanism, which comprises in combination: a conveyor having adrive flight, said drive flight having an inlet end portion arrangedadjacent said inlet end on one side of said path of travel and an outletend portion arranged adJacent said outlet end on an opposite side ofsaid path of travel, said drive flight having an article engaging drivesurface portion thereof twisted through substantially 180* between saidend portions thereof; means to drive said conveyor; stationary guidemeans to maintain articles in driven engagement with said drive surfaceportion of said drive flight intermediate said inlet and outlet endportions thereof; and a single auxiliary endless conveyor belt, saidauxiliary conveyor belt forming conveyor flights aligned with said pathof travel for directing articles into and removing articles fromassociation with said drive surface portion of said drive flightadjacent said inlet and outlet end portions.
 3. A mechanism forinverting articles during passage thereof along a substantially straightline path of travel extending through inlet and outlet ends of saidmechanism, which comprises in combination: a framework; an endless beltconveyor, said belt being trained about roller devices arranged oneadjacent each of said ends to define drive and return flights of saidbelt, at least said drive flight of said belt being twisted throughsubstantially 180* in passing between said roller devices, said rollerdevices being mounted on said framework for rotation about substantiallyparallel vertically extending axes disposed adjacent opposite sides ofsaid path of travel; stationary guide means mounted on said frameworkfor maintaining an article in driven surface engagement with said driveflight of said belt, whereby said article is inverted while beingconveyed between said ends; auxiliary conveyor means mounted on saidframework, said auxiliary conveyor means defining conveyor flightsaligned with said path of travel for directing articles into andremoving articles from association with said drive flight; and meansmounted on said framework for driving said conveyors.
 4. A mechanismaccording to claim 3, wherein said auxiliary conveyor is an endless beltconveyor; and said guide means includes a stationary guide surface meansand a pair of stationary guide surface means, the first said guidesurface means being arranged to extend in a spaced facing relationshipwith said drive flight substantially throughout the length thereof, saidfirst said guide surface means and said drive flight engaging oppositelyfacing surfaces of said article, said pair of stationary guide surfacemeans being arranged to extend from adjacent opposite ends of said driveflight towards a midpoint thereof for successively engaging oppositevertically facing surfaces of said article, each of said pair ofstationary guide surfaces being twisted through substantially 90*.